Cleo Fields appears to be setting up run for state senate

BATON ROUGE – Infamous Louisiana politician Cleo Fields appears to be setting up a run for Louisiana Senate – a potential return to the state capitol for Fields, who unsuccessfully argued against term limits in state court a decade ago, forcing his departure from elected office.

A flier soliciting a $500 contribution to attend a New Orleans dinner for the “Cleo Fields for Senator of the State of Louisiana – District 14” circulated the internet Monday. Campaign finance records also show Fields’ supporters organizing such a run, too. Records obtained by WBRZ show finance filings setting up an organized framework to politic for the local senate seat.

District 14 snakes along the west side of Bayou Fountain, through downtown and northeast of the city center up to Airline Highway.

The current senator for district 14, Yvonne Colomb, is term-limited and can’t run for re-election after 2020.

State. Rep. Pat Smith is said to be eyeing the seat. Smith’s term is up in the Louisiana State House of Representatives at the same time.

Fields has just shy of $900 in a bank account assigned to his possible campaign for state senate.

In 1997, Fields was recorded by FBI hidden cameras accepting as much as $20,000 from Edwin Edwards. Fields notoriously stuffed the cash-filled envelope he was given into his pants. Fields said later the money was a business transaction. He was never implicated criminally.

“It’ll be a very interesting race,” Smith said in a phone interview with WBRZ late Monday.

“People in the district know me,” she said, adding “I’ve been there for more than a decade.”

As for Fields, she said it may be easy for him to get financial support but his base is outside of District 14.

“There are individuals who support him… but can’t vote for him,” because of where they live she said.

“Time will tell,” she continued.

Representatives for Fields did not return calls to WBRZ Monday afternoon.